Smylie Kaufman is a PGA Tour winner, pro golf broadcaster, and the host of “The Smylie Show”. Every week, along with his producer and co-host Charlie Hulme, Smylie provides insights and analysis on the game of golf (along with a handful of other miscellaneous items), in addition to sharing long-form conversations with Tour pros and other celebrities who love the game.
286: Sony Open Preview + The Future of Hawaii Golf | Mark Rolfing Interview
Jan 12, 2026
Show notes
The PGA Tour season officially begins at the Sony Open, and Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme break down everything you need to know about Waialae Country Club — from course architecture and strategy to which players are best positioned to start the year strong.
Later in the episode, Smylie sits down with longtime Hawaii golf voice Mark Rolfing for an important conversation on the future of professional golf in Hawaii, the water crisis at Kapalua, and why these tournaments matter so deeply to the islands.
From Sony Open contenders and course fit to Ryder Cup crowd behavior and LIV Golf movement, this episode covers far more than just a weekly preview.
Make sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more, and check us out on Wednesdays at 9am ET on the Golf Channel!
00:00 – Welcome + Why the Sony Open Feels Like the True Season Opener 03:30 – Waialae Country Club: History, Seth Raynor & Classic Design 07:30 – How Waialae Plays: Wind, Bermuda, Angles & Decision-Making 12:00 – Sony Open Strategy: Where Scores Are Actually Made 17:00 – Player Fits, Storylines & Early-Season Momentum 22:00 – Ryder Cup Crowds, Fan Behavior & Where the Line Is 27:30 – LIV Golf Moves, Career Choices & Tour Fragmentation 34:00 – Big Picture: Where the PGA Tour Is Headed 38:30 – Setting the Stage for Hawaii Golf’s Bigger Conversation 40:00 – Mark Rolfing Joins: Why Hawaii Golf Is at a Crossroads 44:30 – Kapalua, Water Issues & Tournament Uncertainty 50:30 – Community Impact, Charity & What the Tour Overlooks 57:30 – Golf Architecture, History & Why These Courses Matter 01:04:30 – Wrapping Up with Mark Rolfing 01:06:30 – Back with Smylie & Charlie: New Year Goals & Mindsets 01:12:30 – Final Thoughts, Sony Open Week & Episode Wrap 01:16:00 – Outro
285: The Future of the PGA Tour: Korn Ferry Class of 2025 | James Nitties
Jan 07, 2026
Show notes
The Korn Ferry Tour is producing real PGA Tour talent — but the pipeline is tougher than ever with fewer cards available.
Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme are joined by Golf Channel analyst James Nitties to break down the 2026 PGA Tour rookie class, including: • Why winning on the Korn Ferry Tour doesn’t guarantee a PGA Tour card anymore • Which players have true star potential (including Johnny Keefer) • What went wrong — and what changes — for Adrien Dumont de Chassart • Why Pierceson Coody is a breakout candidate if he settles the mental side • The upside (and challenges) of mega-bomber Christo Lamprecht • Why golf needs more personality — and who might actually bring it
⛳️ New Smylie Show episodes weekly, and now on Golf Channel starting Wednesday 01/14! Subscribe for interviews + Tour insights.
00:00 – Intro + James Nitties’ 3rd Smylie Show Appearance 01:20 – Korn Ferry Reality Check: Why It’s Harder Than Ever 02:10 – Surprises from the 2024–2025 Korn Ferry Classes 03:40 – “Winning Isn’t Enough” (Cards Are Razor Thin) 04:35 – What Needs to Change for Adrien Dumont de Chassart & Pierceson Coody 05:15 – Neal Shipley: High-End Golf vs Missed Cuts 06:40 – Pierceson Coody: Split Schedules & The Mental Game 07:35 – Dumont de Chassart: Wrist Injury, Grip Change, New Miss 08:30 – Why Grip Changes Are the Hardest Adjustment 10:05 – Knowing Your Miss = Comfort (and Why Two-Way Miss Kills) 11:10 – Dumont de Chassart Shoots 33-Under (What It Means) 14:30 – Johnny Keefer Deep Dive (“Keith Dog” Breakdown) 16:05 – Is Johnny Keefer the Most “Ready” Graduate Yet? 18:05 – Ryder Cup / Presidents Cup Talk for Keefer 20:40 – Player Comp for Johnny Keefer (JT Traits) 23:15 – The New Bomber: Christo Lamprecht 26:00 – Height, Mobility, Injury Prevention & TPI Testing 29:00 – Nervous Moments + The “Cold Top” Q-School Story 31:10 – Power vs Accuracy (and why guys still want MORE distance) 33:00 – Veterans Returning + Motivation on Korn Ferry 36:00 – Confidence Shifts: Why Some Guys Finally Stick 38:30 – Trace Crowe: Injury Timing & Schedule Strategy 43:25 – Breakout Pick: Pierceson Coody in 2026 47:20 – Personality on Tour: Why Golf Needs More Characters 53:30 – Cards Cut Down (30 → 20): Player Perspective 56:10 – Is Korn Ferry the 2nd Best Tour in the World?
284: 2026 Golf Predictions: Major Picks, Rory vs Scottie & Breakout Stars
Jan 05, 2026
Show notes
The 2026 golf season is here. On this episode of The Smylie Show, Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme break down the upcoming year in professional golf with full-season predictions. They dive into: - Who dominates the PGA Tour in 2026 - Over/unders on Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy & Tommy Fleetwood - Major Championship previews and winner picks - What stats actually matter heading into the season - Which stars could break through — and who might regress From Augusta to Royal Birkdale, this is the ultimate 2026 golf season preview. 📌 Subscribe for weekly episodes, tour insights, and player-driven analysis. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe! 0:00 Welcome Back + Life Updates 5:30 2026 Season Preview: How We’re Doing This 6:15 The “Big Three” in Golf Right Now 9:30 Scottie Scheffler Win Total & Dominance 14:20 Why Scottie Has No Weaknesses 21:30 Rory McIlroy: Schedule, Motivation & Expectations 29:00 Tommy Fleetwood After Breaking Through 33:25 Major Championship Previews Begin 37:50 Masters Preview + Winner Pick 41:30 PGA Championship Preview + Picks 47:05 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Preview 52:20 Dark Horse Major Candidates 55:15 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale Preview 1:04:30 Breakout Players & Season-long Predictions 1:19:55 Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up #golf #pgatour #golfhighlights #smylieshow #smyliekaufman
283: Brooks Koepka Leaves LIV + The Best and Worst Golf Moments of 2025
Dec 30, 2025
Show notes
The final Smylie Show of 2025 is here — and there’s a LOT to unpack. Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme break down the biggest golf storylines of the year, starting with the shocking news that Brooks Koepka is leaving LIV Golf, what that means for the league, and how it impacts players like Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm moving forward. We dive into:
What Brooks’ exit really means
Whether Bryson could eventually leave LIV
How the PGA Tour might handle players returning
The future of LIV Golf as a product
And the ripple effects across professional golf
Then, we close out the year with a fun 2025 Year-in-Review game, debating the biggest moments in golf — from Rory McIlroy's grand slam, to the Internet Invitational, to some hilarious TGL bloopers involving Tiger Woods. A mix of serious golf analysis, hot takes, and classic Smylie–Charlie banter to close out the year. 👇 Drop your thoughts in the comments — who had the moment of the year? 00:00 – Holiday catch-up, family life & Christmas chaos 06:30 – Playing golf over the holidays + end-of-year reflections
13:00 – Brooks Koepka leaving LIV: what happened 16:00 – Why Brooks was never fully comfortable in LIV 19:30 – Can Brooks return to the PGA Tour? 23:00 – Rules, suspensions & politics around returning players 26:00 – Bryson DeChambeau’s leverage going forward 29:00 – Jon Rahm’s complicated situation 32:00 – LIV’s long-term future & roster depth 35:30 – Mito Pereira stepping away from LIV 38:30 – Was LIV still worth it financially? 41:30 – Big picture: where pro golf goes from here
43:00 – Transition into 2025 year-in-review discussion 45:00 – How we’re defining the “best moments” of the year 47:00 – Tommy Fleetwood’s year vs Justin Rose 49:30 – Frankie Fleetwood & emotional golf moments 52:00 – JJ Spaun’s Oakmont moment 55:00 – The Internet Invitational & YouTube golf explosion 58:00 – Scottie Scheffler at Portrush 1:01:00 – Why Scottie’s dominance feels different 1:04:00 – Pressure, greatness & defining careers 1:07:00 – Ryder Cup implications & away wins 1:10:00 – Europe vs USA mindset debate 1:13:00 – What moments actually last 10–15 years 1:16:00 – Final thoughts on the year in golf 1:18:30 – Wrap-up & closing #golf #smylieshow #pgatour #liv #golfrecap #golfpodcast #smylieshow
282: TGL Season 2 with Roberto Castro & Augie Pizá: Broadcast, Hole, and Format Changes
Dec 22, 2025
Show notes
TGL is back for a second season after a maiden voyage that captivated a large audience, while leaving room for some upgrades that will roll out soon - and Smylie Kaufman & Charlie Hulme are here to break it all down on The Smylie Show. Smylie is joined first by Roberto Castro with a big announcement! After playing an integral role in helping TMRW Sports develop the TGL competitive structure, Roberto will join the broadcast as an analyst providing insight on the many strategic elements at play. Smylie and Charlie are then joined by a recurring guest - course architect Agustín Pizá - who dives deep into the imagination, strategy, and data behind his newest designs for TGL. From format tweaks and the evolving hammer rule to brand-new holes like Stinger and Cenote, this episode gives you a behind-the-scenes look at how TGL is blending elite golf, technology, and entertainment. Like, comment, & subscribe to support the channel! CHAPTERS: 00:00 – Welcome to The Smylie Show 00:39 – What This TGL Preview Episode Covers 01:00 – Roberto Castro Joins & Big Announcement 03:30 – How TGL Was Built From the Ground Up 07:30 – What Worked (and Didn’t) in TGL Season 1 10:45 – The Hammer Rule Explained & Why It Changed 14:00 – Why the Players Truly Bought Into TGL 17:30 – The In-Person vs TV Experience at SoFi Center 20:45 – Roberto Castro’s New Analyst Role 24:30 – Why TGL Is a Totally Different Broadcast Challenge 27:45 – Season 2 Team & Title Contenders 31:10 – Agustín Pizá Joins: Designing Golf for TGL 34:00 – Feedback From Players & Season 1 Learnings 37:00 – Tweaks to Fan-Favorite Holes (Flex, Spear, Plunder) 41:00 – New Hole: Stinger (Tiger Woods Influence) 47:00 – New Hole: Cenote & Playing Golf “Backwards” 55:30 – Why TGL Hole Design Is Just Getting Started 58:30 – Season 2 Expectations & Final Thoughts #golf #golfhighlights #pgatour #golfcourse #golfpodcast #TGL #tigerwoods #smylieshow #smyliekaufman
281: Steve Sands on the best Tour pro at handling media + the Golf Channel Games
Dec 16, 2025
Show notes
Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme open the show by breaking down the latest shifts in professional golf — from Tiger Woods’ role on the Future Competition Committee to the PGA Tour’s potential move toward a more condensed schedule. Smylie is later joined by Golf Channel’s Steve Sands for a wide-ranging conversation on the Golf Channel Games, covering golf in the modern media era, Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler’s legacy moments, LIV Golf’s long-term impact, and what fans and broadcasters want from the future of the game. Don't forget to like, comment, & subscribe! Thanks for tuning in ⛳️ 00:00 – Welcome to The Smylie Show 01:10 – Winter golf, travel & working through swing changes 04:05 – Tiger Woods & the Future Competition Committee 08:00 – Condensed schedules, TV windows & golf’s business reality 12:05 – Player pathways, relegation & tour structure concerns 16:15 – What golf can learn from college football’s evolution 19:25 – LIV Golf leverage, contracts & returning players 23:50 – What happens to Korn Ferry & development tours? 28:10 – Is scarcity good for golf or risky? 33:45 – Smylie sets up the Golf Channel Games 34:30 – Steve Sands joins the show 36:10 – Inside the Optum Golf Channel Games format 38:45 – Rory vs. Scottie & Ryder Cup subplots 42:00 – Competitive fire, entertainment & miked-up stars 45:40 – Scottie Scheffler, Tiger Woods & handling the media 49:30 – Which players handle media pressure best? 54:15 – Is a 20–25 event PGA Tour season realistic? #golf #golfmedia #golfchannel #smylieshow #smyliekaufman #pgatour #livgolf #golfhighlights #grantthornton #scottiescheffler #rorymcilroy
280: Aussie Open Champ Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen Joins The Show! + Hero World Challenge Recap
Dec 09, 2025
Show notes
Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme are back for a packed episode featuring a guest appearance from 2025 Australian Open champion Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen - fresh off his win at Royal Melbourne! Charlie opens and closes the show with some heartfelt reflections following his father’s passing. The guys then jump into all the action from the Bahamas - Hideki Matsuyama’s outrageous short game and putter collection, grading Scottie Scheffler's first year with a new putting grip, Wyndham Clark’s viral “turf conditions” quote, and a behind-the-scenes look at Smylie's pro-am round in Albany. Then Rasmus joins the show — jet-lagged, honest, and riding high. He walks Smylie through: • The intense crowds in Australia • Playing head-to-head with Cameron Smith • How firm Royal Melbourne truly played • The near-impossible chip on 18 • The pressure of closing out a win overseas • How he processed the moment on a 20+ hour flight home Thanks for watching — subscribe for more episodes, interviews, and weekly golf breakdowns! CHAPTERS: 0:00 – Welcome Back 4:00 – Smylie’s Airline Disaster 10:00 – Hero World Challenge Reactions 15:00 – Hideki’s Iron Game & Short-Game Brilliance 20:00 – Why Hideki Tinkers With 400 Putters 26:00 – Alex Noren’s Rise & Unique Swing Rehearsal 32:00 – Shot Shape Trends & Modern Fade-Dominance 38:00 – Smylie’s Pro-Am Stories + Albany Short-Game Test 44:00 – Wyndham Clark’s Turf Comments & Course Debate 50:00 – Q-School Controversy: Weather, Contracts, and Fairness 56:00 – Rasmus Interview Begins 1:00:00 – Royal Melbourne Conditions & Massive Crowds 1:06:00 – The 18th Hole: Rasmus Breaks Down the Chip 1:12:00 – Fastest Greens? Comparing Sandbelt to Augusta 1:16:30 – Remembering Charlie's Dad #golf #smylieshow #pgatour #golfhighlights
279: Rick Gehman on Modern Golf: Distance, Data & the New Way to Win
Dec 02, 2025
Show notes
Smylie Kaufman is joined by golf analytics authority Rick Gehman, the creator of RickRunGood.com and host of CBS Sports’ First Cut Podcast, for a deep dive into the world of golf data, modeling, betting edges, and modern player strategy. Rick breaks down how the PGA TOUR is evolving through analytics, why driving is more valuable than ever, how players misinterpret ShotLink data, and where fans can actually find a meaningful betting advantage. Smylie and Rick also get into: - Why baseball analytics paved the way for golf - How players should interpret their own ShotLink stats - Why proximity is one of the most misunderstood metrics - What really wins under pressure - The biggest Ryder Cup mistakes made by Team USA - Why the European model works — and how the U.S. can fix it - Which rising players are primed for breakout seasons - And the surprising ways modern players use (and misuse) data This episode is packed with insight for golf fans, bettors, stat nerds, and players alike. Don't forget to like, comment & subscribe to support the show! CHAPTERS: 00:32 Rick’s background: baseball → data → golf 02:08 Building the golf database 03:27 Baseball analytics ⇄ golf analytics 04:38 How data changed modern golf 05:30 ShotLink: what players misunderstand 06:32 How younger players use tech + data 08:12 Why hitting driver is more valuable than ever 10:08 Misleading stats: Proximity explained 12:26 Real strategy: Driver vs. iron off the tee 14:06 Modeling golf courses & comp-course analysis 16:22 What pros ask Rick for (custom reports) 17:31 Predicting performance on new / unfamiliar courses 19:34 Ryder Cup breakdown: U.S. vs Europe strategy 21:03 Where Team USA went wrong 22:49 Pairing mistakes explained (Scheffler/Bryson, etc.) 24:59 Why Europe trusts data more effectively 27:15 If Rick ran Team USA strategy 29:20 Presidents Cup → How USA should use it better 31:36 Shot-shape & trajectory analytics (new radar data) 33:31 “Go-to shots” under pressure 35:02 Darts, proximity, and scoring insights 36:27 NEW stat idea: Strokes Gained Under Pressure 38:41 Bonus Putting metric 40:14 Rising talents who will break out 42:03 Players who maximize limited skillsets 45:06 The importance of speed in the modern game 49:05 Ben Griffin’s leap explained 51:28 The Jordan Spieth question 54:11 Chris Gotterup’s ceiling 56:00 Outro + In memoriam for Scott Hulme #TheSmylieShow #RickGehman #GolfAnalytics #PGATour #GolfBetting #GolfStats #RickRunGood #GolfPodcast #DataGolf #ShotLink #GolfStrategy
278: Brad Dalke: PGA Tour Dreams, Driver Yips, Good Good, & Beef’s Legacy
Nov 24, 2025
Show notes
Brad Dalke joins Smylie Kaufman following his victory at the Internet Invitational — an event that shattered YouTube golf records and introduced millions to one of the most talented ball-strikers in the creator space. Brad breaks down: • What the week was really like • The emotion of winning alongside Francis and the late Cody “Beef” Franke • How the million-dollar pressure exposed every golfer • His unbelievable junior/amateur career (Thunderbird win at 13, 5 Wyndham Cups, U.S. Am finalist) • Arm-wrestling Rory McIlroy at 13 • Battling driver issues through college & pro golf • His unexpected transition into Good Good & YouTube stardom • The future of creator golf, Big Break returning, and where he sees golf content headed • Building the “perfect YouTube golfer” Chapters below ↓ #TheSmylieShow #BradDalke #InternetInvitational #GoodGoodGolf #BobDoesSports #YouTubeGolf ⏱️ FULL CHAPTERS 00:00 – Brad Dalke Joins the Show 01:00 – Keeping the Win Secret (NDAs, wives, chaos) 03:00 – What the Internet Invitational Did for YouTube Golf 04:30 – How Brad Got Invited (Bob reaching out) 06:00 – Why the Format Worked Perfectly 07:10 – Draft Strategy & Riggs’ Captain Decisions 08:20 – Frankie’s Heartbreak 10:00 – The Pink Jacket + Champions Dinner 11:30 – Francis’ Food Rituals 13:00 – Luke Kwon 14:45 – Transition to Brad’s Junior/Amateur Greatness 15:30 – Starting Golf at 11 Months Old 17:00 – Junior Tour Battles with Scottie Scheffler 18:40 – AJGA Majors & Thunderbird Win at Age 13 19:50 – Committing to Oklahoma at 12 (!!) 22:00 – How Coach Hybl Shaped His Game 23:45 – Rory McIlroy Arm-Wrestling Story 27:30 – Pressure of Expectations vs. Pro Golf Reality 29:00 – Battling Driver Issues & the Low-Point Miss 31:30 – Finally Finding the Technical Fix 33:20 – Running Out of Money on the Mini Tours 35:00 – The God-Moment That Brought Him to Good Good 37:00 – What YouTube Golf Gave Him Back 38:20 – Behind the Scenes of Good Good Production 49:00 – Kids & Amateurs Asking Brad for Advice 51:20 – Building the Perfect YouTube Golfer 55:15 – The Return of Big Break & Brad’s Involvement 56:20 – Closing Thoughts
277: We're headed to GOLF CHANNEL! + Breaking down big changes in 2026 for the PGA TOUR
Nov 18, 2025
Show notes
The PGA TOUR is changing — but is it changing for the better? With the fall PGA TOUR season headed towards a close, Smylie Kaufman and Charlie Hulme take a look some big category and card changes on the way for the 2026 PGA TOUR season. Smylie and Charlie take a look back at the 2025 season to examine how differences in points for signature and full-field events played out, and whether certain players benefited more than others in that structure. PLUS — huge news: The Smylie Show is heading to GOLF CHANNEL beginning January 2026, airing Wednesdays at 9 AM Eastern. Smylie and Charlie reflect on the journey, what the TV version of the show will look like, and how the audience helped get the show here. Tune in, subscribe, and stick around for more golf storytelling and behind-the-scenes insight! Chapters ↓ 00:55 — The Smylie Show is heading to the Golf Channel! 01:36 — Reflecting on the three-year journey of the show 03:06 — Show changes to look for in 2026 06:05 — Setting the Table: 2026 PGA Tour Rules & Categories 06:45 — Are PGA Points Fair? Full-Field vs Signature Debate 07:18 — The Maverick McNealy Case Study 08:22 — Is Winning a Full-Field Event Actually Harder? 10:13 — What the Data Says About Difficulty 11:45 — The 200-Point Problem 13:11 — Why Signature Events Give Huge Built-In Advantages 14:06 — Should a Top-10 Be Worth More in Full-Fields? 15:16 — How Signature Starts Create Long-Term Inequality 16:05 — Reviewing the Signature Event Chart (Audio Notes) 17:14 — Case Study: Kurt Kitayama vs Hideki Matsuyama 19:24 — Do Signature Events Artificially Inflate Some Players? 20:32 — Chris Gotterup & the “Late Season Unfairness” Issue 23:16 — Signature Events vs Full-Field: Who Really Benefits? 24:12 — How Players Ride Momentum — or Don’t 25:18 — Why You MUST Play Well Early on Today’s PGA Tour 26:21 — Low Full-Field Point Earners: Morikawa, Aberg, More 27:33 — The No-Cut Advantage Problem 29:06 — What the Tour Actually Wants: Star Protection 29:26 — Tony Finau vs Gary Woodland Breakdown 31:43 — Can You Play Your Way Off Tour With Signature Starts? 32:35 — Adam Scott & Max Homa Examples 34:51 — Rickie Fowler’s Special Case 36:23 — Why Sponsors Will Always Influence Signature Events 37:14 — Golf Is Niche — And That Shapes the Entire System 38:18 — What the Top-100 Cut Means for Journeymen 39:04 — The New 2026 Rules: Field Sizes, 120-Player Players, Q-School 41:23 — DP World Tour vs Korn Ferry: Who Deserves More Spots? 44:41 — Should the DPWT Really Get 10 Cards? 47:55 — The DPWT’s Crossroads: PGA Tour vs LIV 49:45 — Reviewing This Year’s DPWT Grads 52:02 — The Challenge of Jumping from Europe to the PGA Tour 54:07 — Breaking Down the 101–150 Conditional Groups 56:14 — Past Champion Category & Where Smylie Would Slot In 57:31 — Tiger Woods Leading the Competition Committee #smylieshow #pgatour #golfchannel #golfnews #golfpodcast #golf
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